Need For Practical

Plan To Aid Copra

Discussion By Fiji Council

(Further reference to this subject will be found on page 51).

EAGERNESS to help the copra indus try, if some practicable plan could be developed, was expressed by mem bers of the Fiji Legislative Council, during the December sessions.

Commenting upon the Government’s plan to spend, mostly on public works, about a quarter of a million pounds out of an accumulated surplus of £365.000, Mr. Alport Barker urged that copra pro ducers, who had contributed through taxation to the accumulation of that surplus, should receive some direct sub stantial benefit from its expenditure.

The prices of sugar and copra were low; the gold industry was not large yet; the banana industry could not be exnanded anv further: the pineapple industry was only in its infancy—it would be a wise policy to give copra-producers a larger measure of security.

Mr. Ragg urged that more help be eiven the gold mining industry. He thought that, if the conditions govern ing prospecting and mining were made

more liberal, gold production could be increased. He expressed a pessimistic view regarding cotton-growing. The Indians did not take much interest in it now, and the world markets were against it —it might be opportune to consider whether it was advisable to give any more encouragement to cotton.

Mr. Gibson quoted Sir Frank Stock dale in support of his contention that the Government should give copra growers a guaranteed price, and take over the marketing of the Colony’s pro duction of copra. Copra-growers would thus be benefited, just as New Zealand dairy farmers had been benefited by a guaranteed price and central marketing of butter.

Mr. Trotter said that, before seriously talking about subsidising and marketing their copra production, members would be wise to come to the Council with a practical, concrete scheme. He did not know of any scheme which would put an oil producing product on a stable basis.

Copra, unfortunately, had to be trans ported to distant markets overseas, and the overhead left nothing for the pro ducer. Their greatest buyers were Con tinental buyers and the latter were en deavouring to absorb enormous quanti ties of ground nut and palm kernel oils, which made it more difficult than ever to market copra.

Mr. K. B. Singh deprecated any dis couragement of the cotton industry at this stage. He had formerly urged that the Government should encourage the production of cotton by the Indian far mers; and now, with sugar and copra prices low, every effort should be made to continue encouragement of this alter native crop. Certainly, there should be no discouragement of cotton-growing without the closest inquiry.